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Male Wagner This is why I know. Honored guests members and friends of the Public Education Association it is a great pleasure on behalf of our board of trustees to welcome you to this luncheon we are all here because of our common concern to provide the best possible education for the youth of New York City that of course was the purpose for which the Public Education Association was founded and has been the goal of toward which it has directed all its energies for the seventy one years that it has been in existence. More specifically we are here to express our appreciation to a man who during his twelve busy years as mayor has placed the welfare of the city's public schools and colleges high on his list of priorities and has unselfishly done whatever he could whenever he could to advance their best interests in another eleven days when you leave your high office Mayor Wagner you can justifiably feel that in many ways some large some small because of what you have done for it and because of your wise handling of your relationship with it you leave the city system of public education the better for your administration. Some of the specific ways in which you have helped the schools well be referred to later on behalf of the Public Education Association I just want to thank you particularly for the open door which you have always maintained with our association. You have made it easy for us to reach your ear with our voices and to reach your mind with our ideas I believe that this free and open relationship between the mayor's office and the and the and our association on the one hand and our Association a group of informed citizens with no axes to grind on the other has enabled each of us to be more helpful to the Other than would otherwise have been possible and has enabled us both to do more for the schools this relationship which thanks to you we have enjoyed has been for us a real breakthrough for which we have worked for many years I hope it may have a stablished a pattern which will be followed by future city administrations the principal the principal. Contacts with the mayor's office on a professional level have been car carried on for our association day in and day out by our hardworking and dedicated director Fred McLaughlin I'm going to ask Mr McDuck to MacLaughlin Now if he will speak next Dr McLaughlin. Mr Chairman. Mr Mayor family and friends of the mayor I've sat through many retirement luncheons as has the mayor I'm sure he's probably discovered as I have that the speaker's problem is how to pay tribute to the guest of honor without having it sound too much like a wake. I'm in a little better position today because the guest is still lively the honors are spontaneous and only friends of the mayor are on hand for this celebration the task I've been assigned is to bring into the open some of the things we have been saying about Mayor Wagner behind his back I'm to talk about budgets buildings children and teachers and how they have fared during the past twelve years if genuine progress can be reported and Mr Lindsey happens to hear about it fine it may help him to withstand the shock of the superintendent's record budget request of one billion thirty six million one hundred ninety thousand four hundred ten dollars. Many of the run of the male problems of the Board of Education somehow flow over the bridge to city hall the Board of Education its physical dependence upon the city accounts for some of this but there is no denying the fact that the mayor as elected head of city government is associated in the minds of the public with what goes on in all city agencies the average citizen does not single out the Board of Education but tends to think of it as another department of city government like police or fire I can't say that I blame them the public for being confused since this state agency draws two thirds of its support from city funds and its governing body is appointed by the mayor in any case a low this mayor is sure to get some of the blame when things go wrong he has seldom praise for what goes right our purpose here today was to fill in some of the gaps in the record marijuana's commitment to public education is perhaps best the last created by his consistent support for it budgetary needs he has not only given the school budget priority and allocating city funds but in addition it provided leadership year in and year out to the education forces working for increase state aid. In this effort he has cooperated fully with parent and civic organizations and is rallied the political forces of the state on various occasions with the result that state support for public schools of the city has jumped from eighty seven million to almost three hundred twenty eight million during this his twelve years in office this increases unmatched in any other era of the city's history a low the mayor must receive much of the credit for this two hundred seventy four percent rise in state aid it will probably give the governor is best talking point for the election campaign next year but the mayor's accomplishments in the city are even more noteworthy working from a limited tax base under constant pressures for improving all public services and in the face of a changing and declining urban population he has nevertheless increased the city's own contribution to the school system by three hundred nineteen million dollars since nine hundred fifty three this dual attack on the problem of school finance in the years of the Wagner administration has permitted a rise in the operating budget of the Board of Education of a hundred ninety percent it's gone up from three hundred eight to eight hundred ninety one millions of dollars it is generally acknowledged that the best single measure of the quality of an educational program is expenditures per child this figure is moved from three hundred seventy three dollars in nineteen fifty three fifty four when the mayor took off to nine hundred nineteen dollars today likewise the instructional budget which is part of that the part focusing most directly on classroom education has nearly tripled in the interim. Another item important in judging the quality of school systems of the number of teachers supervisors guidance counselors and research personnel in relation to pupils the preferential treatment given education by Mayor Weidner has enabled the professional staffing ratio in the schools of the city to go from forty four to fifty eight per thousand students wealthy suburban districts may have as many as seventy thousand but at the present time very few cities have over fifty the table in included in our written presentation here shows that the York City's per pupil expenditure exceeds that of the next time a city Chicago by two hundred seventy dollars The figures also show that New York is spending fifty percent more per child for education than Philadelphia Detroit Los Angeles or Buffalo and that our gain over the past years had been nearly three times as great as Los Angeles California where they had to get along I might say without a Mayor Wagner in the long run teacher salaries and working conditions determine the type of personnel attracted to a school system and the morale which affects classroom performance on this important matter perhaps I can do no better than quote from Mr Albert Shanker president of the United Federation of Teachers in September nine hundred sixty five the issue of the United teacher he described the present agreement as and I quote the best contract for teachers ever negotiated in the United States it may be deduced that the U.F.C. gives considerable credit to the mayor for this happy state of affairs since his picture appears prominently in three places in this issue of the newspaper I found only one picture of Superintendent Donovan a nun a Mr Garrison an explanation of course may be that the teachers think the mayor is more for the genic. One final reference to money and budget should be made for the record brick steel and concrete may not be the heart of a school program but the mayor are members of the Board of Education here today can testify to the importance which parents and civic groups attached to the location the priorities and the construction of school buildings they are the subject of long and heated public hearings and discussions at city hall and a board headquarters was stressed of course on needs and short comings Seldom does anyone refer to what has been done but it is a creditable record despite the loss of the bond issue five years ago two hundred sixty five new buildings or major additions have been completed during Mayor Wagner's administration providing seats for three hundred fifty one thousand children this is equivalent to new facilities for a third of the president and Roman and would see all of the children in the public schools the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia put together and every man woman and child in the city of Rochester could go into our new schools at the present time and whether See the school and college building program is given more than a fourth of the capital funds available for all city purposes during these twelve years for a total investment of one billion one hundred thirty million dollars Furthermore priority has been given to the disadvantaged areas so that the average age of schools which be eight found in one nine hundred fifty four to be higher in these areas than in other parts of the city is now lower this point the enormous construction program school and college needs now are greater than with the mayor when the mayor first took office if the problem is to be solved it is beginning to look as though Mr Lindsay will have to borrow a page from Mr Wagner's book and try again to get a school bond issue passed. This is a good place to stop for it would be a mistake to leave the impression that everything has been done it is clear beyond dispute however that education at all levels has made giant strides in the city of New York during Mr Wagner's years as mayor it is equally clear that in order to forge ahead as we have done a favorable political climate was necessary that we have had such a climate is that the direct result of the leadership of a man with unwavering faith and people a deep concern for the general welfare and a firm commitment to the future of the City thank you thank you. Thank you Dr McLaughlin a man who was inclined to put politics or political considerations first and the school second or a man who whose pride. Was pig because of the fact that that this board to a certain extent limited his power a smaller man would have had many opportunities. To. Either to hamper the work of the board or to have it discontinued On the contrary male Wagner has go operated with us one hundred percent I can't recall a single suggestion that the selection board made to him that he has not. Followed out and cooperated on us on with us and he has made it a very I think a very useful board and. A board which has enabled I have been able to I believe to. Very considerably improve the level of the Board of Education Not only that but he has himself and of his own volition installed a similar selection board for the Board of Higher Education Now Mayor Wagner because the spoken word is so soon forgotten and also because we want to give you some something tangible. Which will remind you of your happy relationship with our association and particularly of this luncheon I have here. A citation which the Board of Trustees of the public education has voted to give you if I may I will read it will you stand up here and I will read it. This is headed citation to the Honorable Robert F. Weigman mayor of the city of New York for twelve years you have shown on wavering concern for the education of the cities you giving ready support to all sound efforts to improve the public schools careful to avoid interference in the administration of the educational system your cooperation and courage in the establishment in operation of enlightened and nonpartizan selective procedures as well as your appointments there Rhonda have given the city the best board of education in recent history and an improved method of filling vacancies on the Board of Higher Education You have not spared yourself in your efforts to find more adequate money for the schools and you have assured the Board of Education of greater freedom to set its own priorities in the expenditure of its funds. For the for the extent to which it has in quotes taken politics out of the schools and the schools out of politics close quote the record of your administration stands unmatched in recognition of your contributions to the improvement of public education in New York City for which the city is its citizen stand in your debt the board of trustees of the Public Education Association has voted to ward this citation as an expression of its appreciation to you Robert F. Wagner gives me a great deal of pleasure. Thank you very much. That goes on to other distinguished members of the Public Education Association and their friends here today first of all let me express my appreciation for this invitation to be here and my wife Barbara. He's done this occasion will allow me to speak for a had and glad to say to that our older son Bob Jr was myself hello just back from England for a Christmas vacation is also with us at the far end to. Lloyd mentioned a home for tired people up in New Hampshire that reminds me of course of a story I'm sure isn't applicable to those here but. Some of you may have heard about the distinguished British author. Lived all of his life in London and made a great deal of money and decided in the last years of his life to seek the quiet of the British countryside and so we bought himself a very lovely home outside of a small city in the middle part of England and the day after he moved in. A delegation from the nearby small city called on him and said Mr John to this great author We'd love to have you make the first contribution to a Dr and we've all been eyes try to collect the money for a new home for the homeless and to be a great help if you could make the first contribution he said Well I'll be delighted I'll give ten pounds the next morning he saw in the local press that said Mr Jones the famous author gives one hundred pounds to the home for the homeless while he was a little concerned with that then he called the Committee back he said Gentlemen I think you misunderstood me I said ten pounds not one hundred pounds of the chairman said we can correct that tomorrow we'll have a headline in the paper Mr Jones the famous author refuses to give one hundred pounds to the home for the homeless Well I had a quick cuddle for a moment. And the author said Well that wouldn't be so good he said I'll tell you why gentleman. I give you one hundred pounds of you allow me to write the inscription for the home for the homeless Well they got together the committee did and they said this is wonderful we'll get the hundred pounds get us off to a fine start and get this great author the right the inscription that came back so that's a great said Give me a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote something down he says here's your inscription for the home for the homeless and it read I was a stranger but they took me in but I certainly don't know whether that was so with the head home in New Hampshire but I never feel that way with the Public Education Association I first want to express my appreciation so my good friend. Fred Laughlin who was over the years worked with us once in a while gave me some constructive criticism which I deserved and always has been a fine and wonderful friend working together too with wonderful Their friend of mine Ruth Farman. To see that I did the right thing for education here and Fred I appreciate those kind words that you said and. I know you had stretch your imagination a bad but it was nice to hear and I know that our friendship will continue for many many years to my good friend Beth Webster again my thanks for. His kind remarks and discussing some of the other areas that we have worked together. And help as a private citizen to keep an interest in those areas. Reason we all had to work so hard in the apartment during the strikes in the blackout was that vessel was president of a co-operative association there house and I remember to. The. Wall Street lawyer you know a lot of people say things about Wall Street lawyers but that's Webster's given so much of his time and effort so many good causes among them representing those in favor of fluoridation and and we've had some long hearings I think you and I came back from one hearing us to about four or five in the morning when we get through and I'm just talking about this the other day and I once was once in a while quite often people criticized me for not making up my mind fast enough and decision we had these long hearings and. I also know the Board of Estimate at that time and what was going to happen and lot of people were pressing me away need a vote get a vote you know vote and get this passed so finally one day I said My friends I'll get you a vote but I know what the votes going to be and you're going to get licked and this will go all over the country fluoridation is beaten in New York City and that's what all of the opponents of fluoridation wanted to have and I said you better wait till we get another election and get a new Board of Estimate and we had another election we had another hearing I got it through unanimously on the Board of Estimate So sometimes those who like to jump at things go to realize that and maybe reasons why some caution is necessary in order to ensure the victory that we want to say. But I know too that as best said in the transition period there has been cooperation and I would say one of the principal reasons that there has been that fine cooperation in this transition period is because of the character knowledge and understanding of the chairman of the Lindsay transition committee and that's Bethel Webster to all my good an old friend Frank Carroll some Again my appreciation for the kind things you said about me and this is all of you know we are good and old friends and. I have confided in Frank and asked his advice and on many occasions on always will be seek that advice will always hold him as one of my close and they have friends and to the present the Board of Education Lloyd I certainly do not know you was long as the distinguished chairman it today but I've known you a long while and you know my father well father had great admiration for you. And. I have followed your career with great interest and cherished your friendship so much over the years and sought your advice too and I'm sure when I have followed that advice I've done the right thing and when I haven't followed it I've done the wrong thing and again my thanks to you for all you've done for this city and particularly as the present Board of Higher of education and to thank all of the board through you for what they're doing for the city and also to salute the two of the former. Heads a good friend Jim Donovan and I understand my good friend Max Rubin is here to one of the reason though the reason why we were late here was a Mrs Wagner's fault or my son's father it was my fault we were still struggling with the Board of Higher Education at the mansion but I think we got things straightened out pretty well we had a good meeting with Dr Rosenberg Chancellor. And them Senator on Steen myself and I think things are well on the track and I'm sure you'd understand if I was a few minutes late that that was important to accomplish but. Here we are I know it's getting late we don't want to hold all of you wonderful people but I want to say one of the great thrills of coming here to only see so many here who have been my friends over the years but to sit next to a wonderful lady. Who has always been so kind to me and whose husband has always been an inspiration to me and a great help to me as everyone knows one of the great Americans of our time. Senator Lehmann and Mrs Lehmann thank you very much for all you've done for for me and for a fair. It's hour. And so in accepting this very nice citation which I will cherish I accepted from a group of wonderful and dedicated people. Who have placed the interests of youngsters. Above or home and have been so very helpful to me. Kind words was said about my concern about. Public education system and it is true that Di said right from the beginning well even when I was borough president or even before that Chairman the Planning Commission of one of the. Number one priorities or ways in this government had to be education which includes of course higher education and I did set that goal for a number of reasons but one because I thought it was right and also that we had to do all we could in. Competitive days to give to all of our youngsters the best education possible we've got a long way to go many areas many fields but we have made progress and I'm sure we will make progress in the future. By as higher education is concerned and even like the education I've always remembered what the opportunities that my father had as a little immigrant boy came here and through the public school system and then through City College free tuition never could have gotten there if they didn't have free tuition that he was able to have that education and to be able to rise and become a United States senator and he was to tell me one of the reasons that he was always fighting for education one of the reasons that he also fought for so much of the social legislation the bears his name was that he had to live in those slums and you know those conditions and he said he didn't want to see anybody else have to go through the same and he was always going to try to do as much as he could just to raise that level of opportunity for all and I've tried to in my little way do the same and so as I near the end of my twelve years. I want to in turn not just thank you for the citation but thank you for your friendship your understanding and your help over these years because without it so many of the things that have been related here today could not have been accomplished and I sincerely hope that those who will succeed may. Will carry on I hope and do a far better job for the name sake of our public education. And that I can in some small way after the first of the year and Fred this is not as you said awake I'm not writing my a bitch a way that I'll be around what a help will help and speak out for public education and for I hope all of the fine and wonderful things that you have stood for in the past you stand for today and will stand for in the future thank you very much. I suppose that any organization that exists for as long as seventy years has in the course of its history one or more crises when its survival is subject to considerable question in the case of the Public Education Association we had such a crisis Apollo eleven years ago when in a very tragic accident we lost our then leader Mrs lower some Mrs Margaret Louis. And when we were faced with that crisis Fortunately for us one of our trustees Without has hesitation stepped into his shoes as chairman of our board of trustees and from the moment that he did so I stopped worrying about the future of the public education some CA Sion. It's very nice indeed to have him here today he's now an honor a trustee and I take a great deal of pleasure in calling on Bessie web stuff. I think those of you know Margaret thinking of me stepping on your show she presented some somewhat grotesque picture. And no way did I ever succeed in doing that physically or otherwise. I thought that just as a neighbor of marijuana. Really quite an old friend. He wouldn't expect me to say just good things about public education and about the Public Education Association or about the fine things he's done his mare. For public education in the city. And that he wouldn't mind and perhaps you wouldn't mind if I. Said something quite different. We were neighbors we lived in the same apartment house for a number of years even went through a blackout together. About the time that Captain Astor decided that he could no longer afford to keep the building we lived in and decided to give it to us which he did. Five twenty six trade Fortunately we had a strike. They married and I and others found ourselves running elevators and. Stalking me and sooner or later in the furnace is. It was a way in which. People throw together and as curious so they found themselves really very close friends and we knew the we know the married we know it wife and we know his boys and. By just way enjoyed having him living at Gracie Mansion. We hated to lose him at that house sometimes when I went by there I remembered Mr Berndt him talking about calling on merit a guardian and going to the. Policeman's. Position at the entrance to the Gracie Mansion. Short of knocking with his cane and saying he was Mr Browning I don't want to see the mare and the policeman to know I'm inside or you know and he said well I neva see she burning up and he said well I'll call up gold up and. America are said cover right and is a great man and he did come in and he found me on the grotty and I was lovely rooms and Gracie Mansion then I think rather recently faded and decorated and filled with notable furniture from the Metropolitan Museum it is shirt sleeves having Sunday dinner I was spaghetti I was solo me all being played on. The victrola. Anyway I suppose the measure of a man really relates to. His vision and his leadership. And it relates to provides me even more to what he does and in. Ways in which of which I've been familiar as America has. Established a very high rise or performance. He said before he ran for office I think the second time that he would organize a committee to advise him in respect of the appointment of judges. And he did that and. I had the honor and privilege of serving as a member of that committee and this established a president in the city with reference to the appointment of judges in the civil and the criminal court and then now in the for the interim appointments and a civil card for which they America responsible for that I'm very hopeful that his successor will continue and I think he has already made plans to reconstitute that committee and to carry forward. Another activity of which I've had personal knowledge and I think one can be excused for referring to things of which he does have personal knowledge because somehow they. Stick they they shine through and a way which discloses the character of the people concerned the best was with the Health Research Council and this too has a not just a peripheral relationship to education at the elementary and indeed at the higher levels but there was the. Assistance and guidance of. Two great commissioners. On a bar Gardiner and George Jamison and a number of the leading scientists said he. Did appoint a Health Research Council and he said when he started it. And it started in a very small way and in a very faltering and steady way that he hoped that the Health Research Council. I would find. Highly promising uses for money in research relating to the health of this city. The kinds of things that affect people in this huge city. And five Zima narcotic addiction alcoholism. Or atmospheric pollution and so forth which would justify an expenditure or equal to one dollar for each person in the city. And as I say under extraordinarily good scientific leadership and a great deal of hard work but with unfailing. Support that. Arise and was raged about two years ago maybe three years ago. I think that to this little advertised little read a little known activity. Again made New York a great center for medical education research now the other last item really unrelated to the purpose of today's meeting which is to tell America what a good fellow he was in respect of education is his attitude and performance in respect of the. Transfer of power and responsibility in the city. You may have seen no things in the paper that sometimes looked as if. Not the merit but people representing America not Mr Lindsey really but perhaps people who thought they represented him seem to be making faces at each other. I want to say as one who has been intimately concerned in this. Transition since the day after election until now and I'm sure by the few days remaining that have been. Extraordinary. Smoke. There ben now moments when I know people who had a kind of I possess even for an interest in information or procedures have thought for a moment oh maybe I'd better hang on to this there been times when the people representing Mr Lindsey have been overreaching and. Inconsiderate but generally speaking as was shown the other day at a meeting of our two committees one headed by Dr Norton and one by me and. The deputy America had been our There. Had been no mazing Lee suppose transition and there never been a moment when. They office of the mayor and all the people associated with the government of the present governor of the city had not been not only. Willing but eager to. See to it that the new administration was possessed of the information and techniques necessary for the proper government study. So. As. As a member for many years now the Public Education Association. And speaking very much from the heart I want to assure the mare. Get I'm glad to have this opportunity to tell you how I feel about it. Thank you Mr Webster. I spoke of Fred McGlothlin as having had the principal contacts with the mayor's office on a professional level. And the man who has had the principal contacts on a more personal level. Have. I'm still be our vice president and chairman of our executive committee mystic hours and Mr Carlson will you say few words. Mr Man and the president and I guess the one nice thing about this meeting is that I know that the man knows everyone he has and they all know the man and I know that they all have a high regard for him and I think that the guests here at this luncheon represent many of the best leaders of the people of the city of the all. As evidence by my white hair I've been around a long time and especially I have noted. What's been happening in education as a matter of fact I join the board of trustees of the Public Education Association in one thousand nine hundred eighty two. The interesting thing that I cuz to me is why is it that Bob Wagner has done so much more for schools and children than the any other man had during that time I should speak with some authority not only because of that long period of observation but also because in one nine hundred forty two to one nine hundred forty five I was chairman of the Human Relations Committee of the Board of Education and that capacity I also had an opportunity to understand what it is within an individual that brings about an appreciation of the needs of children it is not only and understanding and a deep interest in children and their education and their mental health. But an awareness of the trials and difficulties that children of all races and backgrounds have in this sometimes brutal society. This requires a special sensitivity in handling such problems Mayor Wagner has both had the awareness and that sensitivity. He respects human beings and loves children it is not an easy task to allocate funds and to decide on priorities. Of the many projects and needs of our city in making these decisions the mayor always has had a remarkable willingness and has had infinite patience perhaps that is one reason he was somewhat late today he probably had great patience with the Board of Higher Education. Fortunately education has prospered from this intuitive and in and into intellectual respect for difference the man's final decisions on all matters has been based upon the conviction that he is doing the best good for the people involved the people involved are the citizens of the city of New York Robert Wagner is indeed a man who loves and respects his fellow men. Thank you Mr Carson. It's been rather interesting to me here while we were of waiting for Mrs Wagner in the mail to. Swap. Reminiscences reminiscences a little with. My friend Lloyd Garrison and to recall that probably. He and I were friends some twenty years longer than either of us was a friend of anyone else of this in this room when we began school together in nineteen six and we've been friends ever since now Lloyd Garrison is a member of the Public Education Association and has been for some years and one of the good things about the Public Education Association is that its members and the members of its board have had a way of going on and performing rather notable functions that were entirely outside of the sphere of the Public Education Association and it gives us a great deal of pride to think that a member of our association an old member of our association. Has become the president of the Board of Education of the city of New York and not only the president of that board but a very effective president of that board and the kind of man that we would hope that the president of the Board of Education might always be. Lloyd when you say a few words. Mr Chairman this is Wagner Mayor Wagner. My friends. And Bill it's a great pleasure to recall this long friendship which nothing has modern all this morning time and also to be among so many other friends I what I have to say is merely a postscript to what. Those who were spoken before me of already said including But to kill it Fred McLachlan's a description of the. Really phenomenal growth and and increased strength of the school system on the matter Wagner's administration it's been a tremendous job that has been done to do that here is leadership and his care about public education and his understanding of its needs and care and understanding that. I think we all would agree that extends to all the other departments of his activities as mayor because the same remarkable record can be traced and every single one of the of the city's endeavors. I want to say Bob in particular for having given the Board of Education fiscal flexibility. You know I'm a budget and you have the public education association know it. Better perhaps than any other organization you've been such a tremendous help to us and take it on again connection with our annual budgetary proposals and your comments and your criticisms which have always been so constructive helpful you know that our love budget is something like a New York telephone directory and its size and complexity and the number of words and lines and figures that make it up and until a couple of years or so ago we had. That was a major operation to go from one line of the budget to another if we under budget and on pencils and we under budget done on vacuum cleaners we had to get the power as a big city hall to let us shift from backing platers and of pencils and this went on all the time and it was one of the sources of confusion then the inefficiency than the I'm struggling as we worked out with man Wagner's help an informal agreement with him underway with then the lump sum a budget allotted to the board we were able to shift from one line to another with public hearings only on the major shifts and without having to go through all of the all of the red tape and delays that we had been subjected to now this sounds like a simple thing but it was a it required an awful lot of doing and the very fact that it could be worked out informally by by an agreement with the mayor rather than by legislation and whatnot was attributed to his. It is a. Monumental grasp of all the details of city government and his. Statesmanship in meeting problems directly and simply. Going right to the heart of the matter and finding solutions so Bob I want to thank you specifically for that in addition to all the rest of the of the fine things that you've done for the schools that drug them has described and there's just one other thing I want to say and that is that although the mayor has had through the purse strings. Almost a life and does power over the over the board of education not once has he ever asked the board. For any to do any favor to make any appointment or to take any particular action that is that it can legally hands off policy letting us sink or swim and sometimes we're homosex but without any interference whatsoever from city hall. And yet on the other hand. This policy of leaving us alone did not spring from indifference because whenever we had to go to him as we have. For help and advice he has always responded constructively and generously has revealed a. Moon cycle to tick knowledge of what goes on in the school system really. Fabulous the grass. Even the details of the management of the schools and again I know that this is true. His grasp of all the other aspects of the city government it's been most refreshing and most rewarding to be able to go here and crises and trouble to sit down and and and exchange ideas with him and get his help. Up in North Shabaab there's a funny little old house up there are near a village greener and in front of it is a sorry I'm saying. Home for the sick and tired of the principle Church Well I'm sure that if you go out of office your second tired of the burdens and then starving isn't pursers troubles of the Such a record of your life during your term of office and yet I'm sure you must be going out with. Modest though you are bored with prior and all if you've done for this or good sir and you certainly have earned the rather to them and admiration of all of us who have had to deal with you in this period and on behalf of the whole board of education of mine. Heart of breed assessors Jim Donovan and Mike's women I want to thank you very warmly.